Journalists questioned by police for reporting shutdown called by JKLF in kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir police have reportedly questioned two journalists after they had reported on a shutdown called by banned JKLF outfit to mark the hangings of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat.

The journalists, one of whom works for a national organization and another for local media, were questioned after the police filed an FIR (first information report) against Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), which was banned by the Center last year. The police have blamed JKLF for allegedly attempting to incite violence and disturb law and order situation in Kashmir.

The journalists in question had carried the statement issued by the JKLF asking people to observe shutdown on February 9 and February 11. The Kashmir Press Club (KPC) called it harassment.

“It has become a routine with police to summon journalists for their stories,” KPC general-secretary, Ishfaq Tantray, said.

“It is an attempt by law enforcement agencies to define new terms of journalism in Kashmir. They're trying to define to us what we should report and how we should report,” he added.

On February 9 in 2013, Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was hanged in Delhi’s Tihar jail his role in the 2001 attack on Parliament, in which five heavily-armed gunmen opened fire and killed 10 people, including five Delhi Police personnel.

Maqbool Bhat was hanged in the same Jail on February 11 in 1984. Both were buried inside the jail and since then their families and separatist groups have been demanding the return of mortal remains for his last rites. The separatists have been calling strike calls on their anniversaries every year.

However, it was the first strike called by the separatists since the Centre’s August 5 decision to withdraw special status to J&K under Article 370 and split the erstwhile state into two union territories.

Yasin Malik-led JKLF was banned by the Centre last March under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, or UAPA. Malik, who is allegedly involved in the killing of five Indian Air Force (IF) personnel in 1990 was arrested last year and is presently detained in Tihar jail.

Besides, the government blames the JKLF for killing Kashmiri Pandits in 1989 and 1990 that triggered their exodus from the Valley.

Meanwhile, Internet services were snapped across Kashmir as a ‘precautionary measure’ on the eve of Afzal Guru's death anniversary. The authorities had restored 2G internet services in Kashmir on January 25, nearly six months after snapping all communication facilities in the valley following the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5 last year.

Hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel patrolled largely deserted streets in Srinagar on Sunday.